Christmas Letter

A Look Back at 2009

JANUARY
Kendra began pre-school
Mark replaced our kitchen faucet
Mark went skit and trap shooting for the first time

FEBRUARY
Celebrated 7 years of marriage
Grandma and Grandpa Winkel came to visit
With the help of Ken, Mark opened up the cubby space in our garage

MARCH
In the past month Kristi gained 10 pounds in her pregnancy (a little high!)
Mark bought a shotgun

APRIL
Kendra enrolled at the Little Gym for gymnastics
Aunt Shoni came to visit
Kendra began to attend story time at the local library

MAY
Mark turned 30!!
Kendra gave up the pacifier

JUNE
Kendra turned 3
Megan was born

JULY
For the first time EVER Kendra didn’t cry at her well-child check-up
Kristi is put on dairy-free diet

AUGUST
Kristi is now on a dairy-free, gluten-free, wheat-free pretty much everything free diet

SEPTEMBER
Grandma and Grandpa Winkel and Aunt Shoni came to visit
Megan’s blessing
Megan’s first and only shots
Kristi had H1N1

OCTOBER
Disneyland trip
Kendra wore a Tinkerbell costume and Megan a bunny for Halloween
Kendra and Megan got H1N1
Kristi slowly adding things back into her diet

NOVEMBER
Kristi turned 30!
Kristi was the only healthy one for Thanksgiving
Kristi can eat again!!

DECEMBER
After 3 months we finally replaced our microwave!


Reflecting on the year, we feel very blessed for the situation in which we find ourselves. I think it’s fair to say that our family has not only grown larger this year, but we’ve grown closer together. We feel gratitude when thinking back to the joy and peace that has accompanied 2009. One source of joy came in recognizing the terrific family, extended family, and friends that we’ve been privileged to have. The courses of our lives have been greatly shaped by loving, thoughtful, and exemplar friends and family. We are truely grateful for you. Many influences have helped us both to find the source of our deepest joy, which comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ. At the season where we relish the spirit of Christmas, we express our gratitude to our Lord, whose spirit it is that lifts our hopes, lightens our burden, softens our hearts and strengthens our loving ties. We wish you all a very merry Christmas.

Love, Mark, Kristi, Kendra, and Megan Vickers

Love My Girls

This past week the girls and I went to Wal-mart. While we were there Kendra must have felt festive and broke out in song. She sang, "Santa Claus is coming to town" in her loud voice. It made me smile and I thought, "this is why I love Kendra." She is loud, fun, boisterous, obedient, loving, silly, difficult temperament - vibrant personality Kendra.

Kendra's Gingerbread Bears even have personality!

Yesterday we went to Straight Chiropractic to see Santa. Megan sat on his lap without crying, curious as to who this new person was. I thought, "this is why I love Megan." She is easy-going, flexible, content, happy, peaceful, easy temperament - calm personality Megan.

This is why I love my girls. They are polar opposites but so cute in their own way.